Nut retainer for split shank connecters



sept. 6, 193s. w. G. FoTsH 2,129,086

NUT RETAINR FOR SPLIT SHANK CONNECTERS Filed Sept. 5L 1935 Patented Sept. 6, 1938 l UNITED STATES yPATENT oFFlcE NUT an'rmis sPLrr snANx William G. Fotsch, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Reliable Electric Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation o! Illinois Application september 5, 1935, serai No. 39.276# 2 claims. (ci. 173-263) This invention relates to wire connecters and one end a conductor engaging portion i3 extendmoreparticularly to wire connecters of the split ing over the adjacent face of the nut I I and shank or bolt type wherein the threaded portion grooved as indicated at I4 on the face which of a bolt is slotted to provide a pair of spaced engages the conductors.

5 parallel legs and a nut is adapted to be threaded At its other end, the contact member I2 has on said legs. The nut carries a contact memberI ears I5 and It bent outwardly to engage the end which is rotatable therein. The contact member face of the nut II to thus prevent removal of the is just wide enough to slide freely between the contact member I2 from the nutii. The width slot in the two legs of the bolt and has means of the contact member I2 is such that it slides engaging the opposite end faces of the nut to freely in the slot 8 although it substantially iills 10 prevent its removal from the nut. The contact the slot.

element engages conductors placed in the slot in The legs 6 and 'I have reduced extensions II the bolt and clamps them together when the nut andy I8 atA their upper ends and the reduced exis screwed down tightly thereon. tension Il has a hole il' bored therethrough The present invention is directed toward a nut which hole runs substantially parallel to the plane m retainer for connecting the nut to the bolt in of the slot The extension it may desirably be such a fashion that the same will not be sepaundercut as indicated at It for a purpose which rated therefrom. will presently appear. l

In a device of this character, it is the purpose il. nut retaining member for connecting the nut of the present invention to provide a retainer II with the split bolt Ei is mounted on the leg 20 whichcan be added to the structure at a very Ii and comprises a metal loop 2t preferably of low cost and which, when added, oiers no diiiispring wire and having its opposite end portions culty in taping of the connecter. extending in the hole ll'i' in the extension Il to Furthermore, the present invention contemhinge the wire loop 2li to this extension; The

plates a device of this character which not only wire loop is provided with a shank portion formed 25 prevents removal of the nut so that it may be by parallel portions 2l and 22 of the loop which lost but also acts to align the contact member shank portion is adapted to extend through the carried by the nut with the slotI in the bolt thus nut Il, asr illustrated in Fig. l, when-the nut is facilitating attachment of the connecter to conunscrewed from the bolt t.

ductors which are to be clamped together. The width of this shank portion is slightly less 30 'I'he features and advantages of the invention than the greatest dimension of the space bewill be more readily apparent as the description tween the contact member i2 and the adjacent proceeds, reference being had to the accompanywall of the nut II so that this shank portion, ing drawing wherein the preferred form of the while it can slide in the space, substantially preinvention is shown. vents relative rotation of the contact member I2 35 In the drawingwith respect to the loop 2li. This feature of the Fig. 1 is a sectional view taken longitudinally shank portion .is of particular value in aligning of the device with the nut removed from the the contact member l2 with the slot t when the bolt; nut is to be threaded upon the legs 6 and 1. 40 Fig.A 2 is a sectional view taken at right angles At its other end, the loop 2b is provided with 40 to Fig..1 showing the nut in clamping position; a flattened portion 23 which ilattened portion Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device shown in is of a greater width than the greatest dimension Fig. 2 with the nut retainer folded down; I of the space between the member I2 and the nut,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a connecter using a or, in other words. of greater width than the slightly different form of contact member; and greatest cross sectional dimension of the leg 6. is

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the connecter shown This flattened portion 23 prevents removal of the in Fig. 4. nut from the loop 20 except by threading it down Referring now in detail to the drawing, the on the legs 6 and 1 so that the connecter is made numeral 5 indicates a split vbolt having a pair oi effectively a one piece structure in so far as the threaded legs 6 and I separated by the slot Ii. lineman who uses it is concerned. 50 A pair of conductors 9 and l0 are. indicated in The flattened portion 23 also serves an addiposition in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. A tional purpose as it is adapted to hook over the nut Il is screw threaded for mounting upon extension I 8 on the leg 1 in the position shown the legs 6 and 'I and carries a contact member in Fig. 3 so as to hold the wire loop 20 ilat on I2 which is in the form of a solid lug having at the top end of the bolt 5. This aids the opertion Serial Number 679,598, which has maturedy into Patent No. 2,037,066, issued Apr. 14, 1936,

by John B. Cook and myself is shown. The device shown 'in Figs. 4 and 5 functions in the same fashion as that shown in Figs. 1 to 3 and i t is Abelieved need not be further described.

From the above description, it is believed that the construction and advantages lof this device will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described one specic form oi' 'my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pate'nt is:

l. In a wire connecter, the combination of a bolt having the threaded portion thereof slotted to provide' spaced legs with a nut having a contact member rotatably mounted therein and slidable between said legs as the nut is turned on the bolt, and. having a. portion extending over one end face of the nut for engaging wires placed between said iegs,.said legs having reduced exten sions at their free ends and a metal loop hinged to one of said extensions and having a shank portion leading from the hinge and a flattened the bolt, and having a portion extending over one end face of the nut for engaging wires placed,

between said legs, said legs having reduced extensions at their free ends, and a wire loop hinged to one of said extensions and having a shank portion leading from the hinge and a iiattened end portion wider than the greatest cross sectional dimension of the leg to which it is hinged, said attened end portion of the loop being adapted to snap over` the reduced extension of theleg to which it is not hinged, and said shank portion of the loop being too wide to rotate between the nut and the contact element thereby keeping contact element in true alignment with said slot.

WILLIAM G. FOTSCH. 

